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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24475807">Meet Cute</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RunawayCaboose/pseuds/RunawayCaboose'>RunawayCaboose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: The Next Generation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Autistic Data (Star Trek), M/M, more tags as the story progresses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:41:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,223</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24475807</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RunawayCaboose/pseuds/RunawayCaboose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Data hasn't had much luck in dating. Tinder was a disastrous experience that turned him off dating apps forever. But when a customer in the cafe he works in overhears Data calling him attractive, could this be the start of something?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Data/Geordi La Forge</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Meet Cute</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Data wouldn’t say that working at the coffee shop was bad, overall it was pretty good. Customers were mostly nice, and the ones that weren’t were easy to ignore. He liked working there, it gave him a routine, and routines were important to him. Every morning he woke up at 7:00 and fed Spot on the kitchen counter, he had tried feeding her on the floor but she always wanted to eat on the counter like he did. He would make breakfast, eggs usually, scrambled or fried, never hardboiled, and eat on the counter next to Spot. He brushed his teeth in the bathroom, counting to eight as he brushed on each side of his teeth, making eye contact with himself in the bathroom mirror. He would get dressed in front of the mirror in his room, long sleeves and jeans, and be out the door by 7:45. <br/>	Today wasn’t any different than normal, but it was a little colder than usual, so Data wrapped a scarf around his neck before heading out the door. He unlocked his bike from the bike rack outside his apartment complex and took the short bike ride to the cafe. <br/>	The bell on the door chimed as he pushed it open, and Deanna smiled at him from behind the counter as he hung up his scarf on the coat rack.<br/>	“Good morning?” She asked as he came behind the counter, handing him his apron.<br/>	“Fine.” He answered, tying the apron behind his back. “Has it been busy yet?”<br/>	“Only the regulars. You know it gets busier after you get here.”<br/>	“Except on Mondays.”<br/>	“Except on Mondays.” Deanna smiled, they had a variation of this conversation every morning, she was well used to it by now. <br/>	A man stepped in the door, a golden retriever in a vest in harness by his side. The dog led him to the counter, a few steps away from the register.<br/>	“Good morning, welcome to Battle Grounds.” Data said. “My name is Data, what can I get for you?<br/>	“That depends, what do you think is good here?” The man asked.<br/>	“Everything we sell is of the same quality, we  would not sell it otherwise.” Data answered, and the man laughed.<br/>	“I guess that’s true. A chai latte, then.” He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and opened it, the bills divided by tabs. “How much do I owe you?”<br/>	“Three twenty-five, would you like your change?” Data asked as the man handed him a five dollar bill.<br/>	“No, keep it.” He replied. “Would you mind bringing it to me after I sit down?”<br/>	“Yes, that is not a problem.” Data answered. “Usually I ask for a name for the order, but I do not have to since I am bringing it to you. Unless you want to give it to me anyway.”<br/>	“It’s Geordi, thank you.” Geordi answered, before turning with his dog and settling into one of the corner tables near the windows. <br/>	“Flirt.” Deanna joked, brushing Data’s name with her own.<br/>	“How was I flirting?” Data asked as he began to make Geordi’s drink. “I didn’t do anything different than with any of the other customers.”<br/>	“Asking for his name when you didn’t have to, it could have made you seem interested.” Deanna explained. “But really I’m just joking.” Data looked over at where the man was sitting.<br/>	“I suppose I could have been flirting, but I was not making the decision to, and intent is necessary when it comes to matters like that. I was not thinking about it.”<br/>	“Well, do you think he’s cute?” Deanna asked. “You haven’t been out with anybody in a long time. I keep telling you to redownload Tinder.” Data’s expression soured, his experience with Tinder had been less than pleasant and mostly consisted of the misinterpretation of messages that ended up with him thinking hookups were dates and having to be explained that by Deanna the day afterward.<br/>	“I do not like Tinder.” He answered. “And, yes, I suppose he’s attractive, but I do not assess our customers based on attractiveness. I am going to take him his drink now.” Data stepped out from behind the counter, cup and napkin in hand, and made his way over to Geordi’s table. “Here is your drink.”<br/>	“Thank you.” Geordi answered, reaching forward to put his hands around it. “You know, it’s good to hear that I’m attractive.” Data immediately flushed.<br/>	“You could hear us? I am so sorry, that has never happened before, I promise we do not usually talk about our customers like us and if you would like to file a complaint, I can provide you with a form, it will not be a prob-”<br/>	“Hey, slow down.” Geordi laughed, holding up his hands. “It’s not a big deal, really, I don’t want to file a complaint. I thought it was funny. You know, being blind I can hear things sighted people wouldn’t be able to hear, so I don’t think you make a habit of talking about customers behind their back while they can hear you.”<br/>	“We don’t.” Data promised. “Do you want your money back? We can give you this drink for free.”<br/>	“It’s not a problem, really.” Geordi reassured him. “I took it as a compliment.” Data hesitated for a second, unsure of what to say. <br/>	“I like your dog.” He said lamely. “I do not usually like dogs, but yours seems very polite.”<br/>	“Thank you.” Geordi answered, smiling. “It took a lot of training, but it paid off. Now we’re quite a team.”<br/>	“Well, enjoy your coffee. I mean, latte” Data, still thoroughly embarrassed, walked back to the counter where Deanna was smiling.<br/>	“Well, what happened?” She asked.<br/>	“He could hear everything we said.” Data answered. “Very clearly. He can probably still hear us. We are never talking about customers again.”<br/>	“Whatever you say.” Deanna laughed. “But, you know, I don’t think it’s a bad thing if he knows you think he’s cute.”<br/>	“Please stop.”<br/>	A few more customers came in as Geordi drank his latte and Data was painfully aware of Geordi’s presence in the cafe, even as he served other people. He still felt embarrassed, even as Geordi got up to leave and waved behind him to Deanna and Data. Data went to collect his cup once Geordi was out the door, and found the napkin he had brought now had a phone number and “text me!” written on it in deliberate script. He brought the cup and the napkin back to the counter and showed it to Deanna.<br/>	“Is this for me or for you?” He asked, staring at it.<br/>	“You’re the only one that talked to him, I think it’s for you.” Deanna answered.<br/>	“It could be for you.” Data argued. “He saw both of us, he had no way of knowing who was going to clear his table.”<br/>	“Well, he didn’t say a word to me, and you took him his coffee so it’s a pretty safe bet that you would have brought his cup back, isn’t it? Plus I am not going to text him, so you have to. Maybe this will be a better way of meeting a person than Tinder was.” Deanna pointed out. Data frowned, looking at the napkin in his hand.<br/>	“I did hate Tinder.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm basing Data's autism off of my own! I also haven't written anything in years so please bear with me if it's a little rough at the beginning.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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